Alpine dimes make a mountain of difference at FLC

For every swipe of a Fort Lewis College #FLCFOREVER Loyalty Debit Card, Alpine Bank donates 10 cents to FLC programs. Since the College and Bank partnership launched three years ago, those dimes have added up to nearly $70,000 in direct impact on FLC students. This powerful sum is making a splash across campus, from Fort Lewis on the Water guide training to dry cleaning services for FLC’s new Professional Closet. 

“We are proud to be able to help support FLC faculty, staff, and students through our FLC loyalty debit card program,” said Eric Eicher (Business Administration, ’96), president of Alpine Bank. “This program continues to grow, which will ultimately allow us to have a bigger impact at FLC. We cherish the opportunity to continue to support Durango and the FLC community.” 

Here’s an overview of FLC programs that will be utilizing these generous funds over the coming months: 

• American Indian Business Leaders (AIBL) - $5,000 
  • FLC’s chapter of AIBL will use these funds to further its mission to educate and equip future leaders through professional development programs, national conferences, mentoring and internship access, leadership retreats, and more. This grant will allow FLC AIBL members to attend the 2022 AIBL National Conference, where they’ll network with and learn from Indigenous peers and leaders in business and entrepreneurial activities. While AIBL focuses on promoting Indigenous business knowledge, the club is open to students of every race pursuing any academic major or career path.
• Biochemistry and Chemistry departments - $1,200
  • FLC’s Biochemistry and Chemistry departments plan to use these funds to support a novel collaboration between FLC chemistry students and Ska Brewing Company. With the purchase of solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers, analytical standards, and other chemical reagents, undergraduate research teams can advance their understanding of hop biotransformation during the fermentation of hopped beverages. This FLC-Ska collaboration will culminate in co-authored publications in scientific journals that provide practical insights for industrial brewers from across the nation. To see other examples of FLC’s student-centered fermentation research, check out these peer-reviewed scientific journals: Beverages, Applied Sciences, and the Journal of the American Society for Brewing Chemists.

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    "Fort Lewis College students are participating in fun, local partnerships and receiving training on advanced chemical analysis instrumentation in the laboratory, thanks to this funding from Alpine Bank. Our fermentation science collaboration with Ska Brewing Co. wouldn’t be the same without Alpine Bank’s support. Thank you!"

    CALLIE COLE, associate professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

• Career Services, Grub Hub Food Pantry, Student Housing, and Title IX programs - $2,500
  • Backed by Alpine Bank’s donation, these student services will launch their collaborative Professional Closet program, which provides underserved students access to clean, modern, professional clothes. The grant supports the initial purchase and maintenance of an inclusive clothing inventory appropriate for interviews, internships, work experiences, and general career preparation. Students are encouraged to take whatever they need, with no obligation to return the attire.

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    "Thanks to these sufficient funds, we can better serve students and not worry about taking money from other departments on campus. This donation keeps our project in motion and allows us to continue to support the Fort Lewis College community."

    CHRISTIAN LIZOTTE, residence director Camp Hall, Title IX Deputy Coordinator

• Counseling Center – $2,500
  • These funds will help cover the planning and implementation of the annual Survivor Support Fundraising Event, which educates the community on the prevalence of sexual violence. The event raises money to support the financial and basic needs of survivors of sexual assault, inter-partner violence, dating violence, and other traumas. Student survivors can apply for the Student Survivor Fund to help cover costs associated with their trauma, from replacing bedding or clothing to flying home during their time of healing.
• First-generation student support - $5,000
  • Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences Jesse Peters has been working with Dean of Student Engagement Jeff Dupont, the Academic Hub, Career Services, and TRIO to consolidate support for first-generation students at FLC. Thanks to Alpine Bank’s donation, first-generation students will receive extra encouragement and resource access on their academic journeys. The funds will seed an “It’s Good to be First” faculty and staff support team to provide mentorship programs, social and cultural events, graduate school preparation support, and more. These funds will also help establish first-generation-focused programs, like a First-Generation Honor Society and a first-generation student club on campus.

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    "As a first-generation student myself, I know how daunting it can be to navigate college successfully. We want to build a strong community of support for our students, providing them with advice and mentorship along their paths to graduation and beyond. There is so much passion for this project on our campus, and I can’t wait to see the results. We recognize ourselves in these students, and we want to watch them succeed."

    JESSE PETERS, dean of the School of Arts & Sciences

• Fort Lewis on the Water (FLOW) - $5,000
  • Fort Lewis on the Water, FLC’s educational rafting program, will focus their grant portion on increasing access for students into the river guiding profession. Scholarships will support guide hopefuls through guide school, trainings, and certification programs, such as first aid/CPR, Swiftwater Rescue, Wilderness First Responder, and Grand Canyon River Guides Point Positive workshops. This grant will also cover curriculum development focused on acknowledging Indigenous interpretations of natural, historical, and archaeological sites found along the San Juan and Chama rivers.
• Neurodiversity Alliance - $5,000
  • The Neurodiversity Alliance will use its Alpine Grant donation to build social-emotional and academic support systems for our ever-growing neurodivergent student population. The funds will help design and implement pre-orientation programs, social events, peer mentors, and professional development opportunities.
• Reed Library - $5,000
  • Reed Library will use these funds to support its newly created Course Text Purchase Program designed for all students. In its inaugural year, the Course Text Purchase Program will provide FLC students with cost-free, equitable access to the required texts and learning materials for FLC’s 100- and 200-level Liberal Arts Core courses. Completion of these courses fulfills the state of Colorado’s general education requirements and thus has a high impact on student enrollment and retention.

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    "With this grant from Alpine Bank, Reed Library’s goal of a zero-textbook-cost general education for all FLC students has become more attainable. Thank you for helping us help our students!"

    ASTRID OLIVER, director of Reed Library

“Each of these programs plays a critical role in helping us implement the College’s strategic plan. We are beyond grateful that Alpine Bank recognizes the value of these staff- and faculty-inspired initiatives,” said Melissa Mount, vice president of Advancement and CEO of the FLC Foundation.

To learn more about the #FLCFOREVER Alpine Bank Loyalty Debit Card, please visit fortlewis.edu/flcforever.